High Notes
by Marveleres
Summary: McKenna was never cut out to be a hero. With a name like "Menace" and Dr. Doom as her father, she knew what kind of life she was in for. When Fury and her father agree to enter her into his hero program, her life changes. Now stuck leading the team with a certain red and blue bug, McKenna has no idea what's next. WARNING: Will have triggers
1. Chapter 1

**Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde**

* * *

 _I'm a princess cut from marble, smoother than a stone_

I sat near the window, watching Dad and Director Fury discuss something. Looked like it was important, what with the way Fury kept gesturing angrily and Dad continually shaking his head no. Then again, I shouldn't have expected anything more from either of them. Dr. Doom and S.H.I.E.L.D have never been on the best of terms with each other. After Mom died, Dad hasn't exactly been all the more accommodating. He noticed me staring, and motioned me down. Sighing, I got up and make the long trek downstairs. For a man with only two daughters, I can't understand why we even own a mansion, much less one on the outskirts of New York. Not that it matters really. No matter how many times he tells me I'm his "princess" and that I should get anything I wanted, I've never felt that flaunting our money was the best way to go about it. I passed my younger sister Taylor's room, who everyone says is a spitting image of me. I can't see it though, but maybe that's when you look past her hair that's three shades darker than my platinum blonde, her emerald eyes and army of freckles that cross her nose. That, and the kid never takes that nose out of a book. She saw me standing by the door frame, and looked questioningly at me. I motioned my head downstairs for her to tag along, and she obliged. When we got outside, remnants of the argument still lingered.

 _This is the start of how it all ends_

Walking up to them, I could immediately tell something wasn't right. Dad wouldn't look me in the eyes (which is completely unlike him), and Fury tried everything he could to ignore my presence. I narrowed my eyes at them suspiciously.

"Is there something you need from me"?

It was Dad who answered first.

"Well, ever since your powers have gotten stronger, I've been worrying about what your future holds".

I visibly relaxed. Of course Dad was concerned. Contrary to what many people like to believe, he actually doesn't want me or Taylor anywhere near the villain business. That's when I remembered Fury there, and that brought me to my next question.

"Wait, then why is Fury here"?

I obviously hit a nerve, because no one answered for a while. Before I could press further however, Fury finally spoke up.

"Your father called me here because he wants to enroll you into my hero program".

 _And the shivers move down my shoulder blades in double time_

His program? I couldn't hardly believe what I had heard, and still don't. Yet, they were still there. I must have been conveying a look of confusion and apprehension, because Dad stepped in to defend his choice.

"Look Kenna, I know we usually talk over major decisions, especially ones that concern your sister-".

At the mention of Taylor, who was still standing there looking between the three of us, I cut him off.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that she's joining too?"

"Of course. With me still working, I can't possibly leave her alone while you're gone".

"Then don't!"

"I don't think you understand McKenna. Your sister has incredible talent in archery, and Fury thinks it will be good for the both of you to train".

I couldn't believe it. Dad completely sold me out to Fury, without even talking about it first. My disbelief left me in silence long enough for him to drop the last bomb.

"... The Helicarrier leaves now, and so do you".

 _But I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison and I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me_

That was the final straw. I immediately flipped out, telling them both exactly what I thought. I turned and angrily flew off into the clouds. Landing on a rooftop, I sat and sulked about how awful they were being. Time flew by, and before I knew it, the sun was setting. Turning to leave, I noticed Taylor, who had obviously been there a while, behind me.

"Why are you here"?

"To convince you to give the program a chance"

Of course. My overly optimistic sister was there to guilt trip me into this stupid program.

"No".

"Why are you being so negative? You haven't even gotten there yet, and you already hate it"

"Because! Dad never even bothered telling me!"

"Maybe because he knew you'd act like this. What's the big deal anyway? It's only training."

That caught me off guard. What was the big deal? All I had to do was practice, maybe save a few people, and be done with it. Mulling over it, I finally came to the decision that I'd try it out. Taylor was ecstatic with the news, but before leaving told me something that left me wondering how I get myself into these situations.

"By the way, we'll be working with five other people. And because of your experience with villains, Fury made you co captain."


	2. Chapter 2

**She's a Lady - Forever the Sickest Kids**

* * *

Two weeks later, here I am. My new "teammates" turn out to be just my age, making things even more difficult. As the old My Chemical Romance song goes, " _Teenagers scare the living shit out of me_ ". We're currently in the middle of a training exercise that's going awfully. Standing back, I access each person, and decide how to approach them. There's Luke, who goes by Powerman. All strength and muscles, but not too much going up inside the head. Follows orders though, so he should be fine to command in the midst of battle. Ava, or White Tiger, is totally being a try hard. She obviously want to impress Fury with her skills and dedication, so she follows his rule like the President himself told her. Only will listen to someone who she deems fit to lead, so I have some work to do to gain her respect and trust. I'm assuming that'll only happen when I'm either dead, or sacrifice myself to save another. Sam, who takes up the name Nova, is so out of his league, it's insane. He goofs off all the time, never listens to a word from anyone, and always wants to fight the "big bads". Good thing no one told him who my dad is. He just _loves_ calling me "Witch". If he does it again, we'll see how much he likes me then. Iron Fist is the only one I have the most how for. Danny is honestly my favorite out of everyone because not only is he level- headed and insightful, but also because he has the skills to back him up. Only questions my tactics if he thinks the others will get hurt, which I can respect. I guess when our job description says to keep _everyone_ safe, I guess that includes other heroes as well. Which brings me to the final member of our little group, Spider-Man. Peter is the leader of this team, which means I have to constantly talk with him about what to do with the team. I don't like him very much. He makes way too many jokes, and never seems to take anything seriously. I think the feeling' s mutual, but I don't care. Not my fault I have a hard time opening up to people, and I don't plan on starting now.

 _She's a first class liar, a constant forgetter. She's attractive but bitter_

So what if they don't like me? Fury only said I have to teach them so they at least know what they're doing. Of course, a little respect would be nice, but whatever. They all know not to cross me because I made sure I set my foot down by showing them my strongest incantation spell during training the first day. That's what started the "witch" trend from Nova, but what does it matter? It won't have any affect on me.

 _She's a lady, and ladies shouldn't be messed with._

As long as they understand their places, we won't have any problems. Of course, the worst I could threaten them with would be changing them into an animal. Which, thinking about it now, they're all well on their way to do that by themselves. My current set of abilities only allow for a few bells and whistles, and a lot of rules. One such rule being that I can't harm anyone unless they are inflicting pain on someone else. Even then, I still can't kill them. That's why I desire to be on The Council. Becoming apart of that elite group would give me nearly unlimited power, and the almighty ability to protect to people. Of course, I'm currently thinking to hell with the people while standing in this room full of idiots.

I sure hope my attitude towards them changes. If any one of them even try to get fresh again, maybe I'll just have to take advantage of my evil background.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry About Your Parents- Icon For Hire**

* * *

 _Sorry about Your parents they sound like bad people, your daddy sounds like a jerk_

Jesus, could this get any worse? First I'm stuck with a bunch of amateurs, now bucket brains picks my father as our first team mission? What the actual hell am I gonna do? It isn't as though I can just type in the code to disable all his preset robots. The very first rule Fury had was to NOT tell anyone about my family, no exceptions. I guess that's why I'm currently trying to shield the idiot troupe from missiles. Of course, this never would have happened if Daddy dearest wouldn't have stuck me in this shit hole in the first place. I feel the angry scowl on my face as I tear through machine after machine. He's so going to kill me after this for ruining his precious creations. Of course, that's if I make it through this mission first. Besides, it isn't as though anything he tells me is worse than what I tell myself. I'm too busy thinking about our _loving_ family to hear White Tiger shout out my name. I get hit hard by some metal abomination, then fall hard to the ground with a thud. I can see Taylor sprinting over to me, but Spider dweeb gets to me first.

"You look a little tired Menace, you wanna take a break?"

I glare at him, pissed at his sense of humor in this kind of situation, before noticing all the fighting and explosions have stopped.

"What happened?"

"Well, while you were busy on cloud 9, we managed to grab the Doctor himself. He's sitting on one of the ship's now."

Wait, what? There's no way they'd be able to capture Victor that easily. My eyes widen impossibly, and I'm about to say something, until I realize I'd be giving out information, and shut my mouth. I can tell Peter's looking at me strangely through his mask by the way his head tilts, but he doesn't say anything and helps me back to the team.

 _I know what it's like staying up all night nursing wounds_

Flying back to HQ, I can't help but feel jittery at the immense anger Fury is gonna have. He'll explode when he sees a Doom Bot brought back to the agency. Once more, I know I'll get the brunt of it for not telling anyone that it wasn't the real Doctor Doom. But had I said anything, I would've gotten punished for that. One look at Taylor's face tells me that she's scared out of her mind, and not only for herself. She knows as well as I do that I'll get most of the heat, and she also knows how badly I'll beat myself up for it. Why can't I just have one day where I'm not in trouble for something the team does? While they celebrate and talk excitedly over how proud Fury will be, my stomach drops every second we near the Helicarrier.

 _It takes more than I have, pick fights with the past, I always lose_

I knew it. I _knew_ this would happen. Once we arrived back at the Helicarrier, everyone was eager to show off their spoils to Director Fury. Taylor and I trailed along quietly, waiting for hell to break loose. Sure enough, Fury says what I was sure of all along, and we're currently chasing the robot all through the base. Taylor and I end up back to back, taking on two of the five bots until we hear a huge explosion, and the ship starts to tilt. Oh crap, this can not be good. In usual movie fashion, we run towards the noise and meet up with the others. Spider goof leads us to the reactor, where I'm assuming he has a plan. A very, very badly thought out plan. Somehow, we manage to destroy the five Doombots together, and turn to face a really angry Fury.

 _You were mistreated and cheated out of the childhood you needed_

He looks so pisssed right now. I've never seen anyone look like they wanted to murder someone so badly like he does now.

"Who is responsible for this?"

No one steps forward to answer his question. Sighing, I step up to him and begin my plea.

"Well Director, it was-"

"It was me."

Holy... Did Parker honestly just stick up for me. I look at him extremely confused , but with a little respect. He flashes me a quick grin, and the respect is gone. Or, at least until one by one, everyone steps up to take the blame. Surprisingly, Fury isn't as displeased as before. Huh, maybe they aren't as bad of a team as I originally thought. My joy is short lived when I see my wonderful father pop up on screen.

"S.H.I.E.L.D pupils, I hope you've thoroughly enjoyed the carnage my Doombots have caused. I have been studying your moves, so the next time we cross paths, be prepared to not come back alive."

My stomach vanishes, and I can physically feel my lungs constrict. Taylor looks pale and sick watching the speech. Nova immediately tries to return back to one of the ship's, while the others grab him to pull him back. Taylor and I just stand there in silence before we make eye contact. The message we both convey is this will not end well, and if things get any worse, we won't be spared the luxury of survival.


	4. Chapter 4

**Get Out Alive - Three Days Grace**

 **And before I forget, disclaimer: I own nothing but the oc and her sister. All characters be long to Marvel, and songs to their respective artists**

* * *

 _No time for goodbye he said, as he faded away_

It was two weeks after my father preformed the biggest dick move in history before we came across Venom.

 **[…]**

Peter came to school late, and the guys were ready to hassle him about his ass being on every available form of social media. Honestly, I have no idea why THAT of all things would be interesting, but to each his own. I'm the first one to spot him walking with Harry. Before I can tell the guys to drop it, they swoop in and steal him away. The damn vultures. Sighing, I muster up an apologetic look, and leave Harry behind. Coming into the cafeteria, I hear the circus act before I see them. They're sitting towards the back, cracking up at Parker' s disgusted facial expression. I wish I didn't sit down, or at least walked in a little later when I hear where the conversation goes next. Peter wasn't really angry about the pictures, but more so about being dragged away from Harry. He was getting up to go find him when Sam threw the worst shade ever.

"We got a job now Parker. You don't need to kiss up to money bags anymore for cash".

Holy. Shit. No way. We hear a tray slam down next to me, and speak of the devil. Harry looks insulted, but I don't see what for. Well, I mean I do, but why at Peter? Sam's the one who made the petty comment. Whatever. Not my friend, not my business. Peter looks furious. He storms off to go look for Harry, while Danny gives Sam lessons in kindness. Sorry pretty boy, but the harsh truth is a way better learning tool than guided notes.

 _Don't hide your mistakes 'cause they'll find you, burn you_

"And the award for 'Bitchiest Comment of the Year' goes to Sam Alexander! Is there anyone you'd like to thank?"

He rolls his eyes at my sense of humor, yet still plays along.

"Yeah, um, I'd love to thank my mother for birthing me, my father for knocking her up, and my very important teammates. Last but not least, I'd love to thank you McKenna. God knows we needed an rich girl with daddy issues in our group. I'm sure you've got more emotional baggage than you do money."

Oh hell no. Who does this skinny ass twerp think he is? I guess he can't see the raging fury behind my eyes, or if he does, he chooses to answer a different question.

"You must be wondering how I know about your family. Nicky mentioned you and your father were estranged, but when I looked you up in the system, there was no one else listed besides Taylor and your dead mother. Care to elaborate on this?"

He has got to be kidding me. Today is not the day to try and fuck with me like that. I should lower my tone or get the nasty comment biting at my tongue out my system before I say anything, but I can't help but shout

"Fuck you, you ignorant son of a bitch! You know absolutely nothing about me or my family! And if you ever talk about them again-"

I start to step closer, making sure my voice carries each word like a knock out blow.

"I will hunt you down, and I will end you like the worthless scum you are. I hope you don't come back to school tomorrow. Or better yet, I hope you don't come back to life!"

Perhaps I did take it too far, but it's too late for that. Sam looks beyond scared, as does everyone else in the cafeteria.

I swear, if Coulson didn't walk into the room just now, someone would be dead.

"Claire! Detention, now."

When I first started school, I would always go by my mother's maiden name. Something about making it _easier_ for me and my sister to find friends. Obviously that didn't work too well if I still have no control over my anger. I stalk out the room behind him, making sure the door slams shut behind me. We walk down to his office, where to my surprise, I find Bug Boy already there.

"I'll cut straight to the point. It's clear to anyone with eyes that you two aren't getting along well with the team, and I want to know why. It's you two's job to make sure they have the proper-."

He stops him monologue because I can't contain my laughter. I shake my head, then grin at him.

"Sorry chief. I was just thinking too deep into your "Anyone with eyes" spiel. Daredevil has eyes, but I don't think he's seen anything too clearly for a while now."

Sitting next to me, I can hear Parker snickering under his breath. Coulson clears his throat loudly, but I pay him no mind. So what if he tells Fury I've been bad? They're not in charge of me, and they sure as hell aren't my father. I don't have to listen to what they say, nor do I have to be here.

"Why are you so difficult? Why can't you just be more like your sister? She's smart, dignified, and can respectfully follow orders."

Here we are, back to square one. After about a week or two with the team, it was obvious Taylor was a clear favorite. She knew her place, and would always try her hardest to get a job done correctly. While I was seen as the red headed step child of the group, she was the smart, courageous warrior everyone wanted to follow.

I feel a stinging sensation in my chest, but I push it to the side and instead mutter under my breath

"I wonder where she got that from".

"See, this is what I'm talking about. Your sister would never complain about anything I ask of her".

I'm so close to either rushing Coulson or sprinting out the door that his next sentence goes in one ear and out the other. I tune back in to see both Parker and Coulson starting at me.

"What?"

While Peter looks sympathetic, Coulson looks like he's done with life.

"I was saying that perhaps you and Mr Parker should work on your social skills by going to Osborn's house tonight. I figured you might as well being the team along too."

"Have you lost your damn mind?! I'm not going anywhere Sam is!"

Peter seems a bit confused by that, and I realise he wasn't there to witness my outburst. Coulson is clearly upset by my choice of language, and makes that fact known.

"Maybe you can also work on that mouth of yours while you're at it. My word is final".

I burst out of the detention room with Peter at my heels.

"Hey, are you alright? What was with that Sam comment back there?"

I wheel around to face him, not even catching his apprehensive tone.

"Couldn't you just mind your own Goddamn business for two seconds?"

He raises his hands defensively, and backs down.

"Sorry your majesty, just thought I'd ask".

I growl angrily, storming down the hallway. Had I bothered to cool down or look behind me, I would've caught Peter standing in the middle of the hallway, staring sadly at my disappearing figure.

 _If you want to get out alive, whoa-oh run for your life_

Later on, we stand outside Harry's door, Sam and I a large space apart. Glaring straight ahead, I feel everyone's eyes on the back of my head. Half tempted to make a snappy remark, I'm stopped when Flash opens the door to let us in, and a raging party is going on inside.

"Party!".

"I didn't see that coming".

I can see Harry standing a short distance away, looking at our group. He looks at us like dirt beneath his leather shoes, and I finally understand what he was so angry about. Harry was never really mad about the money comment, but more so because he thought that we were stealing Peter away from him. This leads to the revelation that Peter and Mary Jane are his only true friends, and that every other person at this party is here only because he's rich. The poor guy has nothing really. He begrudgingly has Flash let us in, and tactically ignores Peter the entire time. I can see clearly see how hurt Peter is by this, and I feel... saddened? I haven't been sad since, well, a very dark time in life. But that doesn't explain why I have the urge to knock Harry's lights out. Peter sees me staring, and gives a half smile. I see right through it however, and make my way over to him. I'm a few steps away before I'm intercepted by Flash.

"Hey cutie. Wanna dance with the big man on campus?"

Eugh. He sends shivers of disgust down my spine, and I push past him. But now I can't see Peter anywhere. I look around and find Ava berating Sam, Danny, Taylor and Luke talking, and dancing everywhere. When I turn back to find Flash, he's gone too. Jesus, is everyone the invisible man today? My last hope is to ask MJ where he went when there's a huge commotion upstairs. Peter falls down the steps while a giant mutant falls after him. There's something highly familiar about him, and I realise it's Flash. But what the hell is that thing on him?

There's no time to wonder, however, as I see the others rushing into battle mode after that thing knocks the lights out. I duck behind some drapes, and change into my superhero gear with a snap. I fly out in time to see Sam unsuccessfully trying to shoot the creature, and everyone else getting the partygoers to safety.

"Pete? Peter! Where are you?"

Behind me, Harry is calling it to try and find Peter. Oh, now you decide to care about him. Where were you when he was upset, trying to talk and make you understand why he had to rush off. I clench my fists together, and try to zone him out of my thoughts. Focusing my anger at Flash, I try aiming a wind spell at him. He's way too fast though, and its all I can do to move out the way. While Sam and I fail in trying to contain the beast, Ava, Danny and Luke move all the partygoers outside. Sam gets too close to Flash, and the creature climbs onto him instead (no surprise there). We take the fight top side, standing on the roof of the condo. The asshat that wants to play superhero pretend pushes Spiderman over the side of the condo. Jesus, what do I have to do for just one person to not ruin my day? The others run up to this sad display of heroing, and take over. Sam finally gets his shit together and screams for us to help him.

"I can take him".

Powerman rushes forward and tries to save him.

"Don't touch it or it'll stick to you"! Peter tries to warn him.

"Not if you touch it hard enough".

Not if you touch it hard enough?! Not if you _fucking_ touch it hard enough. Now, I don't know what tier of stupidity he's standing on, but Luke grabs the foreign object we know nothing about right after someone just tells him not to. I'm half tempted to just leave him be, as it seems Luke needs a lesson in common sense 101. But I fly over him, and release a containment charm.

" Continentiam!"

Black vines sprout from my hands, and holds Luke in place.

"Hurry up and figure out some sort of plan! This isn't gonna hold much longer!"

As expected, Iron Fist and White Tiger rush the symbiote and try to attack it, to no avail. Power man is able to fight off my vines, and the momentum throws me off. He grabs a dumpster siting on top of the roof (for what purpose is it there, I don't know) and hurls it over the ledge. Peter jumps and slings his webs just in time to stop it from crushing MJ and Harry. Meanwhile, Danny is the next fool who tries his luck by punching the symbiote.

"How fucking stupid..."

I mutter quietly to myself. Good for him though, because it just so happens to work. Power Man is freed, and the symbiote starts to chase him. Iron Fist flips away from it, until it grabs his leg.

"Spider-man, it wants.. you".

Oh, this is rich. This entire time, all it wanted was Spider-man. Why am I not surprised? The symbiote knocks Spider-man into the Bugle board, and Danny manages to punch it off of him. Right before White Tiger can become the next victim, Peter sacrifices himself. He takes the symbiote on, and we all watch in horror as he's swallowed whole. Now the fight starts to get really intense. We all try to find some way to rescue him, but it's no use.

"Let's talk. I know you're in there Spider-man".

"There is only Venom".

Oh, great. Now it can talk _and_ name itself? Danny gets strapped to a wall, and Sam fires a blast at Venom. He fails, and gets thrown down. I spot MJ and Harry peering over the side of the building, and I mentally smack myself. Venom spots them, and tries to attack. I'm about to try another contaitment charm until Venom stops himself.

"What?"

Spiderman is able to power through, and for the second time, I'm in shock. He was strong enough to fight out of it? Peter yells for Nova to free his arms, and aims his web shooters at an electrical outlet. Ava and Luke free Danny from the wall, and he stands up, in his underwear I may add (fangirls rejoice).

"You see my friend Peter?"

Harry runs up the ladder and over to us, worry lining his features. For the love of... ugh. If he wasn't on the Goddamn street below, what makes you think he's on the rooftop where the extremely dangerous monster was?! Everyone else, however, takes their time in throwing what they deem faults of Peter's into the mix to describe him. Spiderman walks toward him, saying he was alright.

 **[…]**

Later on, we all walk downstairs to head back home. Peter goes inside the complex to make things right with Harry first. But while I watch him walk away, I can't help but start to shiver.


	5. Chapter 5

**Can You Feel My Heart- Bring Me the Horizon**

 **Disclaimer- I don't own Marvel or any of the characters, only the ocs**

* * *

 _Can you hear the silence?_

 _Can you see the dark?_

 _Can you fix the broken?_

I step in through my bedroom window, wincing at the sharp pain my injuries cause. I stay quiet in the hopes that Taylor, who got here way before me, has fallen asleep. The light turns on however, and my hope evaporates.

"Why are you getting home so late?" I wince again, this time at the sharpness of her voice.

"Hey, I don't know if you've realized, but you're only thirteen. You aren't mom, and I don't need a babysitter".

I try a half hearted attempt at brushing her off, hoping she'll leave me in peace so I can clean my wounds- _Cuts_. Only tiny cuts.

"But you're only sixteen! And you obviously need a babysitter if you come home unannounced at three am!" Shit, it's that late? One look at my clock confirms her statement, and I give in.

"All right, I give. We had a last minute emergency, and I was the only one available. And I didn't call you because it's too late at night." A crappy excuse, I know. But it's the only thing I could come up with.

"You know, I signed up with Fury knowing this would be my top priority. How am I going to be any help to you"-

"See, that's your problem. You try too damn hard to make someone else happy without worrying about yourself first." I cut her off, my injuries starting to catch up to me as irritability sets in.

"And how is that any different from what you do?"

"I- I don't know, ok? It just is. I didn't come home just so we could fight." Pushing past her, I stumble into the bathroom and fumble around the medicine cabinet for a first aid kit.

"No, you didn't. You just came home so you could hide the bruises and broken bones from me. You're only back here because you don't want me 'worried' to death about you for all hours of the night." Her mocking tone is heavy, and filled with a dark acidity I've never heard before. I return my attention back to my search, and upon finding my prize, start working.

"You know, I looked up to you at one point. I thought you were the coolest thing ever. I wanted to grow up to be just like you. But if that means staying out all hours of the night getting thrown around, I'm not so sure anymore".

I snort at her attempt at guilt tripping me, and pause in removing my shirt.

"So sorry princess, but this is what you 'signed up for', remember? If you can't handle the heat, don't come in the fucking kitchen." I usually never curse around Taylor, but on nights like these, I let my anger get the best of me.

"Were you even going to tell me about these?" She only asks this because she sees the black and blue spots graffitied across my body.

"Of course not. And they aren't that bad. Don't even hurt."

"Oh really?"

"Ouch!" I yelp when Taylor punches me full force.

"Then why'd you scream if they don't hurt?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you fucking sucker punched me out of nowhere!" My voice raises and begins to take on an edge.

"I already told you I'm fine. You're wasting hours of sleep by continuing this stupid argument".

"It's not stupid! You're hurt McKenna! You know, even since Victor-"

" _WE DO NOT MENTION HIS NAME IN THIS GODDAMN HOUSE_!" I'm screaming at this point, throwing the forgotten kit down on the ground. I glare daggers at Taylor, who looks so mortified she's shrinks back against the door frame.

"W- why?" Her voice comes out barely above a whisper, and I can tell from her shaking form that she really doesn't want to ask. "He's our father."

"No Taylor, he's yours. I got disowned years ago. He only puts up with me because I'm in charge -"

I cut my sentence short, realizing I've started to tell too much information.

"Just go to bed, alright? I'll see you bright and early in three hours, we'll eat breakfast, go to school, and pretend this never happened." She nods meekly, and nearly falls rushing back to her room. I wait until I hear her door shut, then I sink to the ground. Why is this so hard? What am I doing wrong?

 _I'm scared to get close and I hate being alone._

 _I long for that feeling to not feel at all._

"Uh, McKenna?" I jolt up at the sound of a masculine voice, blood pounding in my eardrums. My heart rate calms slightly after seeing its only Peter, but confusion overtakes fear.

"Why are you here? How do you even know where I live?"

He points to the communication watch on my wrist, and I notice its flashing.

"Its standard to know where everyone hangs out for emergencies, but the watch is set to call the first person listed when danger is detected. In this case, it was your heart."

"My heart?"

"Yeah, one minute it's really low, then the next, straight through the roof. You're lucky I'm the first one as a contact. Everyone else, with the exception of Danny, would've been really pissed you woke them up for nothing."

I give a curt nod at that, knowing my other team mates wouldn't have given a damn about getting out of bed for just me. It's at this moment I remember I'm only in my bra and jeans, and I quickly grab a towel to cover up. Peter eases down on the floor next to me and slowly lowers the towel.

"Hey, what-"

"Easy there Cinderella. I'm only interested in those." He points to my abdomen where the bruises lay forgotten. _Small scratches_ , God damn it!

"What, these? No, I'm fine." I attempt to back away, only to be trapped against the wall. Of course. I try to change the subject by redirecting the conversation back to his Cinderella comment.

"Cinderella, huh?"

"Yeah, you know. Looks pretty until midnight, then changes back into rags". My distraction doesn't derail Peter in the slightest, and he steadily crawls toward me, lightly eyeing the rest of my body to check for damages.

"Whether you like it or not, I'm not leaving until I make sure these are cleaned. You can take care of any other injuries yourself, but this is my top priority." I push his hand away from my stomach, trying to avoid the contact.

"You know, they really don't hurt me. Give me a few hours, and I'll be good."

He states at me quizzically for a few minutes, before he picks up the first aid kit.

"Really Parker, I can manage a few scratches." This causes him to freeze completely.

"All right, first, you must have gotten hit harder than you thought if these seem like small scratches. Second, if you care for yourself as well as you handle your sister, you need me more than you think." My face takes on a look of shock, then I forcibly shove Peter out of reach.

"How dare you say that" I hiss through clenched teeth. Just as he did a few days ago, he backs off and raises his hands.

"Chill out. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have crossed that line. But what did you expect? I could hear the arguing from three blocks away."

"And how did you manage to get inside?" I fold my arms across my chest, wincing yet again at the subtle pain.

"Your window Is still open. And since you refuse to accept my help, we'll have to do this the hard way. "

He stands up, and types a command into his watch. I maneuver my body into my knees so I can try and stand, when Peter gingerly picks me up bridal style.

"Wha-?" My face involuntarily lights up red, and I can see a light pink dusting Peter's cheeks as well.

"Chill out, alright? You didn't want me to bandage you up, so I'll bring you to the helicarrier instead."

I move around in his arms to try and loosen his grip, but to no avail. I sigh, defeated, and remember I still have no top. "My shirt."

"What about it?" Peter looks down to where my shirt lays discarded on the floor.

"I'm not wearing it," I mumble sullenly under my breath. All I wanted to do was sleep, even if only for a few hours.

"Oh, right. " Peter blfushes again, and sits me on the toilet to step back. "Finally calling it a night?" I ask him, even though I know the response. He doesn't answer, and instead proceeds to wrap his pink shirt around me before buttoning it. "Now what are you doing?"

"You seem to be asking me that a lot. Sure you didn't hit your head too?"

Unhumored, I stare blankly at him. Peter sighs and steps back from his work.

"You were complaining about not having a shirt on, and I don't really need to spend the rest of my morning explaining to Fury why I'm carrying my half naked teammate into S.H.I.E.L.D with bruises on her body."

I turn an even darker shade of red at what he's suggesting, and scoff.

" I already told you I'm fine." He rolls his eyes and picks me up again.

"Yeah yeah, and I'm king of New York."

"Really? _Newsies_?"

"Hey, it was a good movie". Peter shrugs and moves me towards the window. Outside on the deck, his cycle is waiting. "What's that doing here?"

"Well, I can't exactly carry you and swing at the same time".

"So don't." He merely shakes his head at my persistence, and positions my body so that I'm sitting squished between his body and the handlebars. My blush still hasn't gone away, but I try to focus my attention on more important issues, such as how I'm going to explain to Taylor why I vanished again.

 _The higher I get, the lower I'll sink._

 _I can't drown my demons, they know how to swim._

After about a half hour of riding (mostly because Peter was trying his hardest to avoid any and all areas that were uneven), we make it to the helicarrier. Parking his bike in the dock, Peter unmounts his bike and holds me close to him as we head towards the med bay.

"Hey Fury. Caught a lively one for ya". Fury signs exasperated, and asks what we're doing here. "Well, little Miss 'I'm Okay' has bruises up the wahoo all over her abdomen, probably with a few broken ribs to boot, but is convinced they're only really small cuts. Might wanna check her head while you're at it." Fury glares at Peter and begins firing rapid questions.

"Why were you at her house?"

"Wristwatch contacted me. Her heart rate was all over the place."

"Why is she in your shirt?"

"By the time I got there, she already had hers off. I didn't want to irritate anything more than necessary, so I just coughed up mine."

"Why didn't she contact S.H.I.E.L.D herself?"

"That, I don't know. But I'm guessing she was afraid of big bad Fury getting angry."

Peter brushes off all of Fury's questions with ease, sounding almost bored. He strides over to me, and takes his shirt back. No one else but I can see the gentle but efficient way he undos the buttons since his back is to the nurses. One look at my stomach sends one nurse crying to the bathroom. I roll my eyes at the sensitivity shown. "Really Director, give me a couple of hours and I'll be ready for school."

Fury raises an eyebrow at my insistence. "You don't get to make that call."

He turns to the other nurses who haven't run screaming at the sight of me, and directs them to not let me leave this room under any circumstances until every last one of my injuries are healed. Internally and externally.

"Fury, you can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious. In fact, Parker, you're in charge. I trust you won't screw this up?"

"Gotcha Director Eyepatch. You can trust me." Fury leaves, muttering about having to work with immature children. I'm all set to book it while everyone's distracted when I'm noticed.

"And just where do you think you're going? Fury put me in charge, and I'm so not letting this opportunity pass."

Changing from his joking attitude, Peter lets his face go dead serious. In all honesty, it's pretty scary to look at.

"I have no idea why you don't want to get helped, but until you do, I'm making the executive decision to stay here until you've fully healed."

"What? You can't be serious! Fury won't even let you do that!"

"No, but I'm still going to stay for at least two days. After that, I'll visit you before and after school." Why is he dedicating so much of his time for me? That could be spent on something much more meaningful.

"And to ensure you won't bolt when I'm asleep.." Peter grabs his web shooters and fires at my wrists, leaving me immobile. Stupid limited powers.

"Sorry McKenna, but this is for your own good." I ignore him now, keeping my focus directed on the staff. I start to panic and flail when one reaches for my jeans.

"What, are you going commando or something?" Peter tries to quell my nerves, but upon seeing the fear in my eyes, swats the nurse away.

"Calm down. She just wants to check for anything else."

"There is nothing else! I told you I'm fine!" My voice carries loudly across the room, causing several nurses to stop their work. Peter looks unsure of what to do next, and is hesitant in asking me his next question.

"Would you, uh, prefer if I did it?" The entire room goes dead, and I'm positive I look like a deer in headlights. Peter looks like he wants to disappear, and I regain my composure enough to answer him.

"I guess."

He snaps his head up, almost as if he's unsure if he heard right.

"Just be really, really careful, okay?" He nods softly, and begins easing my jeans down my legs. I shut my eyes tightly, but realise that was the worst thing I could do, and immediately tense. Peter stops, and checks to see if he did something wrong.

"I'm okay." My voice comes out as a soft stutter, and I force my muscles to relax. Peter continues to work, and I can't help but look away when the marks on my thighs earn collective gasps from everyone in the room, including Peter.

"McKenna, my God."

* * *

 **I was so excited to post this chapter that I finished in record time. Even for my first fic, I'm still proud of these last two chapters being 2k+ in words. Hopefully I can get that up to 5k+.**

 **Starting next chapter, triggers will begin. Instead of the usual "chapter number", I'll start labeling what types of triggers there are. Since I don't want anyone to feel left out, the next chapter right after a trigger will be a summary of what happened. That way, if you can't read the full scenario, you still won't miss out on any important segments.**

 **Drop me a review if you like anything (story or song choice)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Demons- Imagine Dragons**

 **The chapter is gonna switch between Peter and McKenna povs, starting with Peter. You'll know when it switches because the pronouns will be different for each part.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, nor do I own any songs used.**

* * *

 _When the days are cold_  
 _And the cards all fold_

"McKenna, what the hell are these?" I ask her, even though I already know what these cuts represent.

"C'mon Parker, you're supposed to be a genius." She gives me an empty attempt at humor to try and make me lose focus, but it only riles me up further.

"This isn't a damn joke McKenna! Why are you doing this to yourself?" She won't answer, and doesn't even look at me. I'm guessing her arms are starting to ache, since she keeps shifting around.

"Would you mind removing the webbing from my wrists? They're starting to hurt".

I comply, and even though she isn't looking, I can tell she notices my eyes on her, watching for any sign of emotion.

"Why we you being so calm about this? There are enough scars that you could give one to every villain just in New York." I try hard to bring some sort of answer out, but nothing. This constant dodging is starting to get on my nerves. Even so, I still reign my emotions in enough to continue questioning.

"Why would you want to do something like this to yourself?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Her answer is swift, but sounds almost programmed as a default.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you've got ability, a sister who would die for you, and looks any woman would kill for."

Damn it brain! The last part of that sentence wasn't supposed to slip out, but it does get McKenna to look at me. So win, I guess. She stares for so long I don't know which one is creepier: the fact that she just keeps looking, or the almost dead look in her eyes.

"What does any of that mean if you don't believe it's true". Her response is extremely quiet, so I have to strain my ears to hear it. The question throws me for a loop, and I can't come up with a answer.

"I don't know". This is when McKenna smiles, but it isn't a happy one. It's a smile that holds a lot of pain, and I can almost feel all of the tears she's cried just from this look.

"So much for being a genius". Her voice stays just as quiet, but the time isn't mocking. It's more, disappointed. I nearly jump through the roof when an agent clears his throat, and I remember there's more people in this room than I was making it out to be. I glance between the agent and McKenna a few times, before stepping away from the exam table.

"It won't be today, and it doesn't all have to be tomorrow, but while you are stuck in this room you will tell me why you do this". Harsh, I know. But it's the only thing I can do with someone who has such a blatant disregard for her own safety. I walk out of the room that's as silent as an empty graveyard.

 _And the saints we see_  
 _Are all made of gold_

 _It won't be today, and it doesn't all have to be tomorrow, but while you are stuck in this room you will tell me why you do this._ I grit my teeth as his words continue to replay in my head. How dare he make such a rude request! He was the one who barged into my bedroom at three in the morning! He was the one who dragged me here against my will! I will be _damned_ if I have to answer to the likes of him for what I do with my body. I get to make those decisions, no matter how self destructive they are. So as I lie awake after the nurses are done checking me, I brainstorm a plan for successfully ignoring that idiot for the next two weeks. Unfortunately, nothing I come up with ends the way I want it to.

 _Parker._

His name sits like poison on the tip of my tongue, and I toss and turn trying to get him out of my head. I don't care if my injuries feel like someone shot me, I-. That's it. That's what I need to do! I stop moving around and settle onto my back, a smile crossing my face as I finally drift into a peacefully sleep.

 **[…]**

The sun rises much faster than I expect, but then again, we did arrive pretty late in the night. I'm all smiles for the staff when they reenter to check up on me, and even more so when that jackass walks in. But today, the tables have turned, for the sun has finally decided to shine down on me.

 _And the ones we hail_  
 _Are the worst of all_  
 _And the blood's run stale_

As soon as I walk in there she is, grinning at me from the table. My spider sense dully starts to ring, but I push it aside, instead focusing on what maybe could be out first day of progress. My optimism is short lived when I see what McKenna has in store.

"Hello Peter".

That causes me to freeze, and chills run through my entire body. I'm aware now of how out of place this all is, even though to most people it would seem commonplace. McKenna has never once called me Peter in the entire time she's been at S.H.I.E.L.D. Not only that, but the welcome is far from warm. It sounds generic and lifeless, kind of like those computers in movies that turn out to be evil. Her grin doesn't falter, even as I pull up a chair. If my spidey sense was ringing before, it's all out warfare now. Still, I don't take anything to heart and start our therapy session.

"Now, McKenna-"

"Before you begin, I wanted to make a deal first". God, this whole room just got cold. I know Fury doesn't have A.C., so it's definitely something much more sinister.

"Um, all right?" I silently curse myself for sounding unsure, but it doesn't make any difference for McKenna.

What she says next makes my blood turn to ice, and my vision to cloud red.

" I promise I'll tell you everything, but first, why don't you tell me the story about how you let your Uncle get murdered?"

 _But with the beast inside_  
 _There's nowhere we can hide_

My plan has its desired affect, because Peter turns as white as a sheet. He's in shock of what came out of my mouth, and the look on his face is priceless. It makes me wants to die of laughter! Of course, I know it sounds evil, but I don't regret my choice. That goes double for when he hops up from his seat, letting the chair fall to the ground.

"Why the hell would you say that?! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

I feign a thoughtful expression, then laugh. "Oh, a lot actually. Besides, you _did_ say that while we were here I'd tell you why I self harm. Now I give you an offer, and this is how you repay me? How rude".

He looks absolutely flustered, and it makes me all the more pleased.

 _Don't get too close_  
 _It's dark inside_  
 _It's where my demons hide_

"I promise I'll tell you everything, but first, why don't you tell me the story about how you let your Uncle get murdered?"

My body completely freezes from surprise, and it takes my brain a long time to register what she said. When it does, blind fury overcomes me, and I jump up from the seat.

"Why the hell would you say that?! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

McKenna chuckles darkly, and her eyes narrow. Her grin slowly turns into a smirk, and she playfully answers with "Oh, a lot actually. Besides, you _did_ say that while we were here I'd tell you why I self harm. Now I give you an offer, and this is how you repay me? How rude".

This bitch! How dare she take advantage of my kindness! I stick my neck out on the line for her, and this is the thanks I get!?

No thank you.

I can tell McKenna gets satisfaction from my confused state, and that's the final straw. I should have known she was bad news from day one. I should have never trusted her. Sam was right, she does have some serious emotional baggage. Before I can say anything I might regret, I storm out of the med bay. Before the door slams shut behind me, I hear another sadistic giggle, accompanied by a farewell that makes me sprint down the corridor.

"Bye bye Peter! The next time you're on a mission and fail as a leader, do be sure to say hi to Ben for me!"

* * *

 **Short, I know. But I didn't want to get into any major details just yet, and this will build a foundation for multiple relationships. Now, I know the Uncle Ben comment may have been harsh, but look at it this way: someone who has a serious addiction (or in this case, illness) doesn't like to get help.**

 **Look at the lyrics I chose from "Demons". Do you understand the point they try to convey? If not, don't worry, there'll be plenty more plot twists to explain this.**


	7. Mentions of Rape, Cutting and Self Hate

**Sorry it took so long for this. The triggers start with this chapter, so if you don't like what you see in the title, I have a safer summary version next chapter. If you aren't triggered by anything, feel free to skip the summaries.**

 **Disclaimer goes here with me sadly not owning anything.**

 **Don't You Dare Forget The Sun - Get Scared**

* * *

 _I can't believe it's half this hard,_  
 _You never knew your mind was dark, no!_

 _"Bye bye Peter! The next time you're on a mission and fail as a leader, do be sure to say hi to Ben for me!"_

As soon as those words exit my mouth, I immediately regret them. I can't believe I dug so deep into someone else's life like that. After watching Peter sprint down the corridor full of rage, I flop down on my back, completely oblivious to the pain. I want to kick myself for doing this to him, or much worse. It was easy acting evil, of course it would be. The hardest part would be knowing I'd have no one left who wanted to help me, and that hurts the most. Tears begin to sting in the corner of my eyes, but nothing falls. Slowly siting back up, I turn to look at the empty nurse's station. Something shiny captures my attention, and for once, I'm glad Fury hired an untrained rookie.

 **[…]**

 _You look down on, me so casually,_  
 _In everything I know._

I blaze through the carrier, pushing everyone and everything out my way. I'm on a mission to find Fury, and I refuse to let someone get in my way. After a few more minutes of searching, I find a conference room where he and the team are. Before I can even get a single word out, he raises a hand.

"Don't bother. I already know, as do the others".

Finally taking in the expressions of my team mates, I realize how the news is affecting them. Ava is pissed, Sam irritated, Luke and Danny disappointed while Taylor looks sad.

"I knew it! LI knew we never should have let her join!" Ava is screeching her point, as if the louder she gets, the more validation it'll have. I see Taylor about to respond, but Fury cuts her off.

"Now, I know that emotions are running high, but I want to make sure you have a full view of both sides before making any judgement."

Ava lets her eyes narrow, and she hisses out an angry "If you think I'll listen to a word she has to say.."

"Don't just listen. Surround yourself. Become McKenna." Fury gives us all a short nod, and I take a seat.

"Now, before we begin, I have a twenty four hour policy installed for any video. However, in circumstances such as these I have decided to keep certain portions for prolonged periods of time. After that, I will be deleting these videos, and I want to get through as much as possible." We sit in silence, waiting for the first video to begin. When it does, we're all thrown _for a loop._

 _Well, I know you lay in bed,_  
 _Contemplating your own death._

 _ **VIDEO 1:** "I wonder what it's like, to really feel happy." McKenna sits down on her bed after a late night training session, obviously exhausted. She's rambling on to herself, lost in thought._

 _"I mean, who could ever truly be happy? Every person has some sort of gain from every action performed, so it isn't as though we get it through charity. Love, well, love is useless. Promising you'll belong to someone forever, swearing you'll always be there for them? Lies. Dad was never there for me. Oh, excuse me. Victor was never there for me."_

 _She chuckles bitterly before continuing._

 _"The only times he ever comes around is to make sure Taylor's okay. The only time he addresses me personally is to let me know he can't stand the sight of me and-"_

 _She chokes back a sob, then continues._

 _"A -and that he w-wishes I was still born."_

 _McKenna continues speaking, hiccuping from her tears._

 _"How could a father admit he doesn't want his child? Much worse, he won't even give me the satisfaction of being sold for adoption! He only keeps me as a plaything, something he wants to break apart from the inside out with his bare hands." McKenna' s fully crying now, something that seems so foreign to us, but commonplace for her._

 _"Are you happy now Victor? You finally did it. You've broken me beyond repair. I can't even look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgusted and wanting to take a knife to what's left of my heart. You didn't want to love me before, so I hope I can matter now, bruised and scarred. "_

 _She now takes out a razor that even in poor lighting, still holds the crimson sheen of old blood. She begins methodically making small incisions into the skin, where after moving on, small droplets of blood pool at the surface._

Fury finishes with that video, and plays the next. It begins with McKenna about two or three years ago, arguing with her father. My fists involuntarily tighten, disgusted at the sight of him. Not even in my worst nightmare could I imagine this scenario. It's enough to give even the most unemotional person chills.

 _And at the end of the day you think to yourself,_  
 _"My body is a product being sold on a shelf."_

 _ **VIDEO 2:** Victor is pacing back and forth in front of a bruised McKenna, whose cheeks bear purple handprints._

 _"You worthless excuse for a child! Why can you not be anything like your sister? Why must I be stuck suffering raising someone who doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as me? You're 13 now, and you still can't give me any reason not to throw you out on the streets! What do you have to say for yourself?"_

 _McKenna, who sits curled up in a ball backed into a corner, is sobbing heavily._

 _"I'm sorry dad! Please don't throw me out! I'd have no where to go, and Taylor needs me-"_

 _Victor cuts her sentence short by grabbing a large chunk of blonde hair and drags McKenna to a bed._

 _"How dare you suggest you could do ANYTHING for her. You worthless pig". His words only make her cry harder, and he cuffs her to the headboard. McKenna lays there stiffly even after Victor leaves the room and doesn't return for a while, as if even the slightest breath would make him livid. When he does return, it's with a couple of street muggers in tow. McKenna gazes blankly at them, until a slap from Victor snaps her head back._

 _"Don't you make a single sound, or else I'll make sure you suffer." Victors tone is commanding even without cursing, and McKenna obeys diligently. Or, at least as diligently as possible until one of the muggers begin undressing. Her eyes widen in terror, but still she makes no sound._

 _Victor stands back, obviously pleased at his work. "If you can't be useful to me as a daughter, then maybe you'll be a little more fruitful this way." He leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him. The muggers creep closer and closer, weapon in hand and half naked. They reach the bed and begin to unbutton McKenna' s top and-_

I can't. I can't watch anymore. I spin away from the screen, hands clenched tightly into fists. Fear and revulsion rack my body as I attempt to drown out the screams. Every last one one them are pained, and you can hear the muggers having their fun. They take Victor's words to heart, making sure to audibly beat McKenna with their brass knuckles or chains whenever she cries out. The video shuts off then, and I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see Danny standing over me, making sure I'm alright.

Turing to face the rest of the room, I see immediately that no one else was able to watch the ending either. Everyone's faces have drastically changed from about twenty minutes ago, and I don't know if Sam or Ava look more guilty. Deep inside though, I know it's me. I have the most to apologize for, and finally have a clear enough mind to realize why she did it. Not wanting to come with me, shaking while getting undressed, and bringing up my uncle. It was all because McKenna doesn't know how to trust anyone, doesn't know love.

She was right. I'm not as genius as I thought.

 **[…]**

 _Well, just look at what you've done._  
 _Don't you dare forget the sun, love!_

When you're near death, you see a lot of things. There are also a lot of things you don't see. Me, all I see is misery. Misery loves company, but obviously I'm so pathetic that I can't even get an emotion to stick around. It hurts, knowing you've spent most of your life trying to live up to someone else's standards just to realize all too late that you shouldn't. As much as I'd like to go back and fix my life, maybe even take it away entirely, I won't. No one would be there for Taylor, and I sure as hell am not leaving her alone with that man. So even now, lying in my own cold blood, I can smile. Not because it's my final moments, but because I know she'll be in good hands after I leave.

That smile disappears as soon as I hear a male scream my name before blacking out.


	8. Chapter 7 Summary

**Summary for those of you who (unfortunately) have gone through one or more of the events depicted.**

 **Don't You Dare Forget The Sun - Get Scared**

* * *

 _I can't believe it's half this hard,_  
 _You never knew your mind was dark, no!_

 _"Bye bye Peter! The next time you're on a mission and fail as a leader, do be sure to say hi to Ben for me!"_

As soon as those words exit my mouth, I immediately regret them. I can't believe I dug so deep into someone else's life like that. After watching Peter sprint down the corridor full of rage, I flop down on my back, completely oblivious to the pain. I want to kick myself for doing this to him, or much worse. It was easy acting evil, of course it would be. The hardest part would be knowing I'd have no one left who wanted to help me, and that hurts the most. Tears begin to sting in the corner of my eyes, but nothing falls. Slowly siting back up, I turn to look at the empty nurse's station. Something shiny captures my attention, and for once, I'm glad Fury hired an untrained rookie.

 **[…]**

 _You look down on, me so casually,_  
 _In everything I know._

I blaze through the carrier, pushing everyone and everything out my way. I'm on a mission to find Fury, and I refuse to let someone get in my way. After a few more minutes of searching, I find a conference room where he and the team are. Before I can even get a single word out, he raises a hand.

"Don't bother. I already know, as do the others".

Finally taking in the expressions of my team mates, I realize how the news is affecting them. Ava is pissed, Sam irritated, Luke and Danny disappointed while Taylor looks sad.

"I knew it!I knew we never should have let her join!" Ava is screeching her point, as if the louder she gets, the more validation it'll have. I see Taylor about to respond, but Fury cuts her off.

"Now, I know that emotions are running high, but I want to make sure you have a full view of both sides before making any judgement."

Ava lets her eyes narrow, and she hisses out an angry "If you think I'll listen to a word she has to say.."

"Don't just listen. Surround yourself. Become McKenna." Fury gives us all a short nod, and I take a seat.

"Now, before we begin, I have a twenty four hour policy installed for any video. However, in circumstances such as these I have decided to keep certain portions for prolonged periods of time. After that, I will be deleting these videos, and I want to get through as much as possible." We sit in silence, waiting for the first video to begin. When it does, we're all thrown for a loop.

This section begins the start of two videos. The first one is McKenna arriving back home from a late night training session. She's extremely tired, and begins to ramble on to herself about how Victor never cares for her. It's revealed that she's a regular cutter, and that the reason behind it is Victor blatantly choosing to love Taylor more than McKenna. The next video takes place three years ago, when she's 13. Victor is degrading McKenna and is threatening to kick her out. When McKenna brings up the possibility of Taylor needing her, Victor snaps and drags her over to a bed. He then proceeds to cuff McKenna to the headboard, and leaves, returning with three muggers in tow. They carry chains and brass knuckles, and rape her at Victor's discretion.

Peter and the team can't bear to to watch the ending, and turn away from her horrific screams.

I can't. I can't watch anymore. I spin away from the screen, hands clenched tightly into fists. Fear and revulsion rack my body as I attempt to drown out the screams. Every last one one them are pained, and you can hear the muggers having their fun. They take Victor's words to heart, making sure to audibly beat McKenna with their brass knuckles or chains whenever she cries out. The video shuts of then, and I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see Danny standing over me, making sure I'm alright.

Turing to face the rest of the room, I see immediately that no one else was able to watch the ending either. Everyone's faces have drastically changed from about twenty minutes ago, and I don't know if Sam or Ava look more guilty. Deep inside though, I know it's me. I have the most to apologize for, and finally have a clear enough mind to realize why she did it. Not wanting to come with me, shaking while getting undressed, and bringing up my uncle. It was all because McKenna doesn't know how to trust anyone, doesn't know love.

She was right. I'm not as genius as I thought.

 **[…]**

 _Well, just look at what you've done._  
 _Don't you dare forget the sun, love!_

After this, Peter goes down to the med bay to find McKenna. What he sees is her lying there in a pool of her own blood, where she's remembering her past and hoping for a brighter future.

When you're near death, you see a lot of things. There are also a lot of things you don't see. Me, all I see is misery. Misery loves company, but obviously I'm so pathetic that I can't even get an emotion to stick around. It hurts, knowing you've spent most of your life trying to live up to someone else's standards just to realize all too late that you shouldn't. As much as I'd like to go back and fix my life, maybe even take it away entirely, I won't. No one would be there for Taylor, and I sure as hell am not leaving her alone with that man. So even now, lying in my own cold blood, I can smile. Not because it's my final moments, but because I know she'll be in good hands after I leave.

That smile disappears as soon as I hear a male scream my name before blacking out.


End file.
